Please read this interview with Taro Kono, a LDP member of the Lower House of the Diet since 1996.
Asahi News : POINT OF VIEW / Taro Kono / Japan needs true debate in post-bubble era
This is bad enough, but the worst is to come :Originally Posted by Asahi
What is this system ? Can they call that democracy at all ? The current political system of representative democracy in most developed countries in the world is already only a dwarfed version of real democracy (where referendums should be held for all important issues), but this Japanese system is not even representative democracy. It is an oligarchy where a few party leaders decide for the whole party. Add to this that the LDP has ruled the Diet since in creation in 1958, and the Japanese system really appears like little more than a one party autocracy like in China.Originally Posted by Asahi
Let's carry on :
These are the words of a (visibly disgruntled) member of the Diet. I would also like to add that campaining politicians being forbidden to distribute leaflets or pamphlets to most of the population, or even to advertise through websites during the election period (!), their only recourse to reach people who don't go to their few public speeches, is to pass around neighbourhood in a van and shout their name in loudspeakers. Since they don't have time to express their political ideas, so they just say their name and "vote for me". This is mostly useless as they clearly annoy more people than attract their attention or interest.Originally Posted by Asahi
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